Why Chicago is My Kind of Town

Chicago is "My Kind of Town" (Frank Sinatra) and not just because I was born and raised there. It's the best big American city because it has all the advantages of bigness (great food, arts, recreation, architecture) while feeling like a small town. New York (Wall Street), Los Angeles (show business), Washington (politics), Detroit (cars) are company towns; if you aren't connected to the company, you're a bit out of the action. Boston, New Orleans, and to a lesser extent San Francisco are legacy towns; if you don't have some roots there, you're an outsider. Chicago is much more open. People in different occupations mingle more in Chicago than in company towns. Newcomers can make it more easily than in legacy towns.

All of this makes people more often feel as if they all know each other, even if they don't. There's still plenty of racial segregation and silly hierarchical thinking, but professional circles overlap much more in Chicago than where I live now, New York. And did I mention that New York and L.A. are about a thousand times more arrogant and snobby?

The biggest sport in Chicago is still local politics, which are followed more avidly than in most other major cities. But the real sports teams are doing much better in recent years than when I was growing up. On Saturday, I took my 17-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter to Wrigley Field. They have lived their entire lives in the New York area but are rabid Cubs fans. When I gave them permission years ago to root for New York teams, they declined. The day we went, the Cubs, who have the best record in the National League, got bombed by the Cardinals. We paid a fortune for scalper tickets. We were appalled that the Tribune Co., which owns the team, allowed UnderArmor (a clothing brand) to put its name on the groundskeeping gates in the ivied outfield walls. (ads are famously scarce at Wrigley). But it was still about the best way I can think of to spend an afternoon. It was my son's seventh Cubs game in 10 days, including one he attended amid a tornado.

This reminded me of my own youth. We lived only six blocks away from Wrigley in an old Victorian house that is now worth 100 times what my parents paid for it in 1962. (Alas, they sold it in the 1980s). Because the Cubs played only day baseball in those days, I was allowed to go to the ballpark with a friend and no adult supervision starting when I was only nine. (Today, they'd lock my parents up for that). Day after day, my mother would pack me lunch in a brown paper sack and in exchange for indifferently completing a few chores would give me $1.25--a dollar for admission to the bleachers and twenty-five cents for a "frosty malt" ice cream. The grandstands cost $1.50 and box seats $4.00 (an unimaginable sum) in the 1960s. (This year, scalpers can get $300 for a good box seat). I learned half of what I know about life from the Bleacher Bums, the motley collection of night-shift workers, drunks, layabouts, geezers and lesbians who frequented Wrigley in those years. In 1969, when the Cubs blew the pennant to the Mets, I would amble home from the ballpark in a state of depression. In 2003, I was back for the infamous "Bartman game," where a fan interfering with play helped cost the Cubs the pennant. Like all Cubs fans, I rationalize the pain as character-building. Besides, as we like to tell outselves, any team can have a bad century. 2008 will be different. You can bet Buckingham Fountain on it.

Comments

[rroy]

I'm another guy who was born and raised in Chicago,and lived their my entire life except for two stints in the military, and until retirement 12 years ago.I have so many fond memmories of Chicago,I,m sure they would fill several books if I had the nack for writing them.
But I would not and could not live in any big city today! Like my last twelve years in Chicago,I live on the Shores of Lake Michigan,now in Northern Michigan.I only drive a couple of blocks inland to see beautiful verdant farmlands among acres and acres of forests.I rarely lock the doors of my car or my house.I rarely hear things like ghetto blasters,or experience any thing resembling a traffic jamb.
Right now,maybe because I'm in my dotage,I like this better,lots better!
I'm reminded of an incident a couple of years after I moved here;Someone had built a snow man,with sticks for arms and a cap on it's head at a traffic pull off .The snow man stayed there 'rill it melted.I realized that in Lincoln park ,in Chicago(as well as many big cities for that matter),within an hour the cap would have been stolen and the snow man would have been knocked over and pissed on twice.

[DavidMoline]

One of Chicago's best qualities is its music scene.

Amidst pressue from national concert promoters, Chicago still has a vibrant independent music scene. Any night of the week you can go see great live music at one of Chicago's many venues, such as the Empty Bottle on Western and Augusta, the Metro on Clark and Racine (down the street from Wrigley Field), the beautiful Vic Theatre up on Sheffield and Belmont (where you can watch a movie and drink beer when there’s not a band playing), the Riviera Theatre or Aragon Ballroom up north in Uptown, or the Double Door here in Wicker Park, a small club right across from the Damen Blue Line stop.

I mean, Chicago even has the gaul to pull off a massive live-music festival, Lollapalooza, every summer now, in which over 200,000 people of all ages and creeds gather in Grant Park, right by Lake Michigan, under the auspice of Chicago's dramatic skyline, and listen to an eglectic assortment of contemporary music. New York or L.A. could never pull something like that off.

[Totto]

I grew up in Chicago and now live in Oregon. Though I love big cities, I also love the forests and ocean. But I still dream of Chicago. I miss it. A million things. Lake Shore Drive with the old incandescent streetlamps and the Edgewater Beach Hotel illuminated at night. The important passenger trains with their illuminated names on the rear observation cars waiting at LaSalle Street Station. Stouffer's boysenberry pie at their restaurant on Randolph and Wabash. The old "L" trains with wicker seats with heaters underneath that were hot as hell. The Ealing comedies on WGN sponsored by Community Builders. John Coughlin doing the weather on WBBM and, earlier, as "Uncle Buffalo". The empty(!) lots on North Michigan that use to have General Outdoor Advertising billboards. The "Lindbergh" beacon rotating atop the Palmolive Building. But, most of all, I miss Marshall Field's, and the kind of life it meant to a middle class that still existed. Once a year, my school clothes were bought there. Cast iron corduroys that were indestructible, and tan Catholic school shirts with egg salad stained dark blue, clip-on ties.

When I was young, I dreamt that Chicago would surpass New York City. From my bicycle on the Central Avenue Bridge crossing the Milwaukee Road tracks I hoped a grand metropolis would rise. Towers taller than the Empire State. But now I miss so much of what we had. It was sooo good.

[esgabel]

As a fellow Northsider my memories of Chicago include walking to Lincoln Park and the Zoo, Joe's and Ria's Pizzarias --before Uno and Dues...The Buffalo for Ice Cream. The Church Carnivals and the Old Town Art Fair. I loved growing up in the city and all these years later I still look forward to going home. Growing up in Chicago's ethnic neighborhoods was like growing up in a small midwestern town that coincidentally had all these amazing other places to visit.

[esgabel]

Forgot Father & Sons Pizzaria, Italian Beef Sandwiches and Chicago Hot Dogs...Any­one remember the nuns who parked overflow parking at Wrigley Field...St­eve Goodman? So much...

[itolduso]

How can you talk about Chicago and not mention pizza?! I've been gone a decade, but can't forget the taste -and RicoBene's steak sandwiches?! Ah-I'm gonna cry.......­...Oh yeah-White Sox Rule!!!!

[ChiBloggO]

Jonathan,

Great post. Along with Keith Olberman, you are the voice of reason and intelligence on MSNBC. I always look forward to your commentary.

As far as Chicago goes, your insight is right on. I've lived in LA and NYC area, and you're right, Chicago is a place where everybody is welcome and can become a fabric of the community in a meaningful way. I've lived in the North Shore suburbs, Lakeview, Wrigleyville, Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, and now in the West Loop, and I feel I've got a great flavor of this great city having lived here for over 15 years now. There is no better city to live, work and play, and I encourage everyone who's never been here to take a week to explore this great city -- I guaranteed you'll want to come back!

[FearlessFreep]

I hear Chicago put up a statue of Bob Newhart as Dr. Robert Hartley. They should do the same for Jimmie Walker's JJ!

[bluestatelib]

Great post. It's cool to discover that one of my favorite journalists (especially when you're on Countdown) is a fellow native Chicagoan. Small world.

[TAKEOURCOUNTRYBACK]

Johnathan,

I did not know that you were from Chicago! Your story about going to the game is like mine. Went all the time on the bus with our sandwiches, and how '69 broke our hearts.

You are one of my favorites on the political shows. I think your take is very factual and honest. We are very lucky to have your voice heard.

Thank you!

[solbro]

Yuppies are cub fans. Real chicagoans are Sox fans. Plus, you can get carta Blanca at the Cell.

[DevilAdvocate]

not! Cubs all the way... I lived on the southside but always loved the cubs... Northside girl!~

[Bademus]

Apt description! My experience is that Chicagoans are more enthusiastic about MLB, NFL and NBA than politics but the local politics comes in at a close fourth place. I was born and raised there but have lived in Seattle for 12 years now. When I have vacation time I almost always use it to go to Chicago. I should branch out more but I miss my (other) city. The funny thing about it is that even though the architecture and buisnesses change the people, even just acquaintances, always remember you and it's like you've never left.

[JazzPuff]

Chicago is the rarest gem, wrapped in a small box of thumb tacs,it is most exciting and vibrant big city in my own backyard. That's how I feel about Chicago. Jonathan, it is great that you and your children were able to go to Wrigley Field. It is a one-of-a-kind experience. I took 5 year old son, and his remark, "Mom, this is the best day ever" Chicago IS like that everyday.

[steamboat]

Wrigley Field is an old, smelly, decrepid ballpark. A modern ballpark needs to be built. Oh yeah, GO WHITE SOX !

[gorlina]

Jonathan - Love to see you on various MSNBC programs. There are many commentators that I mute or turn off, but I'm always interested in your point of view.

I'm really happy to learn that you're from Chicago and your article today was great!

[obamamom]

Jonathan - Iike you I have lived my entire life only blocks away from Wrigley Field and are seaon ticket holders good or bad. You forgot to mention that after a winning a game (and not) that everyone sings "Go Cubs Go," written by the late and great Steve Goodman, also a die-hard Cubs fan.

One more thing I hope you've taken your kids to the Weiner Circle.

[silverball]

jonathon..­..

great post....an­d chicago is all that you say it is....i've lived in nyc and boston and as fun and great as they are, they are not even close to chi...and the scale is perfect...­it has it all w/o the size...com­prehensibl­e and logical to understand and get around...(­and don't get me started about new england's problem with street signs...i think it's part of their mentality.­..don't you know where you are at?....goi­ng?....if you aren't a direct bloodline to the mayflower, you are considered a foreigner no matter how long you've lived here)....i live in a small ne town near the coast and nh border, but if i ever move back to a city...it will be chicago...­..
ps...when i told my brother-in-law i was moving to boston(1991), he said i was moving to the cubby bears of the american league...h­e was so right...th­e fans and fenway are so similar...­.win or lose they never lose their affection for the team....

[66rock]

Jonathan, you're my kind of guy. As a fan, today I find out you're from Chicago!--- so now I know what makes you special. Your statement about Chicago's bigness while feeling like a small town, hits the nail on the head.

Born and raised in Rockford but I have memories of Chicago and am thrilled whenever I get out of this desert I live in (Phoenix,ugh)and get back there.

Don't know if you agree but I think there is a work ethic and other qualities defined strongly in Midwesterners.

[Gma11]

Jonathan - I know very little about individual reporters and their own personal "takes" on the news of the day, but during this election season I've turned more and more to you and your take on the news.

While I've been deeply frustrated by the political coverage (or lack thereof) of many, I've come to value yours. Thank you.

(As a Wisconsinite, maybe my own "take" is more similar to yours!)